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{Full Disclosure}

With the new FTC rules I want to be clear on any sort of compensation I may receive through blogging. Occasionally I may receive small fees through affiliate plans, payment for articles I have written or sell the supplies I discuss.

This is nothing new, isn't a whole lot... and a small facet of how I make my living as an artist. I have never, and will never promote products I don't believe in.

at any rate i’m having daily issues with my oh-so-soon-to-be-fired-webhost ….

….. trying to transfer to a new one without interruption to the store

finishing my new site along with internet connection issues ….

…. and today my fancy schmancy printer decided to go berzerko, and i can’t do prints

so basically, all my work stuff is hitting the proverbial fan ….

…. wow …. i sure like the word proverbial eh?

i’m not telling you this for sympathy or anything ….

… it’s just part of life

granted, an extremely irritating part of life …

… but nonetheless an inevitable part of it

… omigosh!!!my cat Sophie is trying to climb into this small opening of a big box

it’s hysterical! ….

… where was i?sorry.. she’s a trip

yeah, anything technology related in my life seems to have this wounded inner child

… so due to time constraints

that those pesky technology gods bestowed upon me …

… i am almost-ashamed to admit i am cheating today

how you ask? …

Well I’m kinda re-doing a giveaway I already did. See, 100 of you didn’t enter the fabulous Cloth, Paper, Scissors (omigosh this cat is so bad – shes a nut tonight!) Studios contest – so I only drew 1 winner. Shame on those who didn’t partake in the fun! Which leaves me with this beautiful extra copy and a blog post already written.

So, go back and read that if you haven’t already. Then return here. I am changing a bit of the contest portion up.

Here’s the nitty gritty on entering to receive this copy:

Answer this “If you were a tree, what would be carved into your trunk?” and/or tell us your favorite studio organizing tip. If all else fails answer this: Peanut Butter or Jelly?

Feel free to do a lil more schmoozing by lying through your teeth and saying by far my studio is the best in the issue, much less the world.

72 Responses

if I was a tree….I would have a dragon carved into my trunk, using the back as scales.
lots of shelves and containers. plus a labeler.
Peanut butter
no smoozing, you studio beats mine hands down. I would kill to have that much room.

without question, your studio is the BEST. what i love the most is your pets are free to roam! just you talking about your cat doing all these crazy things crack me up! i had visions of my cat climbing into everything in my studio… and walking on my project i wam working on–getting paint on her paws… awwww..

If I was a tree I would have “your heart and mine” carved in because that is what is inscribed on our wedding rings and my husband is soooo my sweetheart!

peanut butter or jelly – hmmm. Peanut butter is my first love but, I started making my own jam this year so, I have developed a fondness for that too! If I had to choose I would prob say peanut butter since its been my favorite since I was a kid and jam isn’t quite jelly so I guess that doesn’t count – yep def peanut butter!

Ha! Having followed your printer travails via Twitter, I don’t think this is cheating at all. Hope this frustration will turn into an opportunity, somehow.

“If you were a tree, what would be carved into your trunk?”
My trunk would be ringed with pictograms, like a book, a fire, a bed, an apple…all representing the different things a tree can become.Your favorite studio organizing tip.
Make things portable. Since I can’t have *everything* on my desk all at once, I like to have “kits” that I can pick up and use as needed, then return to their spot. I have kits for embroidering, sketching, beading, etc. and it helps a lot.If all else fails answer this: Peanut Butter or Jelly?
A friend asked me a similar question tonight about chili: beans or meat? I give you the answer I gave him: “I believe we need people to work across the aisle on the issue.” ;-)

If I were a tree, I’d probably have “Do not carve here” carved into my trunk.

I have a few favorite tips. First: my husband built me a shelf stand with the shelves spaced only about 3″ in between. On those shelves, hold my beloved rubber stamps in clear, plastic frames. Each shelf holds 3 11 x 17 frames and there are about 20 shelves! That’s a lot of stamps!

Second: my newest fave. I received a body lotion set in a small (10″) round, plastic, zippered bag, like the kind comforters come in. I punched holes all over it, threw in my mess of ribbons, pulling the end of each one through one of the holes. Sooooo easy, plus I saw it at a convention selling for $40!

In addition, PEANUT BUTTER RULES, especially just virginal on a spoon.

And lastly, yes, you win. Your studio is the best. I do love mine, but I’m envious that a) you can walk in yours, b) yours is clean and neat and c) I want your chair!!!

If I were a tree I would Have DO NOT CUT ME DOWN!!! carved on me. My favorite oranizing tip, baskets, but don’t put the wire in with the ribbon and/or the fibers LOL….. Crysti has the bestest art room ever. all the cool drawers and files everthing in it’s place. Tons of room to work in…..to die for.
Peace,Brenda Moss

If I were a tree, it would have “Todd + Regina” carved in a heart.
Peanut butter if I can’t have both.
I like the white plastic drawer units that can be found in discount stores & office supply stores. I wish I had room for more of them.

If I were a tree I would have carved “hug me, I’m so worth it”
I also love the look of your studio…It’s clean for a start :)
I can’t believe all the peanut butter lovers commenting here…for me it’s jelly.. homemade of course.
Keep the studio organising tips coming. I’m taking notes. lol

If I were a tree, I would drop a huge branch on anyone who tried to carve my trunk !!! I would, however, allow a lovely painted sign to hang from one of my branches and it would say “It’s all good !”.

Try and make friends with your technology (like talking to it kindly, stroking it, seeing its potential and praising its hard work… Believe it or not, it has worked for me in the past when the techno Gods were testing me !

Far be it from me to advocate the wounding of a tree but, if I were a tree and I had to be carved, then I’d like something Art Nouveau-style – a winding creeper right around and up the trunk with sinuous stems and shapely stylised leaves.

My favourite studio organising tip has to be “#1 – Make the time to do it!” – which I don’t. I just waste time moaning about how I can’t work because my space is in such a mess.

If I were a tree I would probably have a flock of birds carved into my trunk, flying free. Peanut butter for sure, on a spoon, straight from the jar.
Love your studio, wish mine was as neat and organized!

If I were a tree, ” Know thyself” would be carved in my trunk, along with a couple of tiny stars.

My favorite organizing tip is: If it isn’t out in the open where you can see it, Label it. I have a Dymo tape labeler- the old fashioned turn and punch kind, that I use to label drawers and boxes in my studio area at home, but since I am an art teacher, I am responsible for organizing an entire elementary art studio as well, and there I use a fancy schmancy Dymo type and print style labeler. If I didn’t label all of the many cabinets and what they contain, I would never remember where I hid everything!

When asked Peanut Butter OR Jelly, (I usually prefer them together) I have to ask myself, which would I rather eat a plain spoonful of, and in that case, I would definitely choose Peanut Butter- as long a it’s creamy.

Also- I have to rave about your fantastic studio- seeing yours organized put me into motion organizing my own little space at home- I thought maybe if I knew where everything was I would be more motivated and inspired. I’ve only really seen sleek and modern studios or very messy ones up close- yours looks cozy and inviting as well as organized and ready for a whirlwind of art activities. I am personally inspired and in awe of your charm chain and inspiration board- my inspiration board has been empty for over a year- no WONDER I haven’t made any art in such a long time- lack of inspiration!
Also- I have a little silver charm bracelet that my mother gave to me when I was in high school- I used to be in theater, and every time I was in a play she would give me a charm on opening night that was related to the theme of the play. It is my most treasured peice of jewelry aside from my wedding ring.

Lastly- I have to thank you for your blog, your giveaway and your art- I stumbled across you through Daily Art Muse, and checked out your Flickr photos- beautiful, and I have been hooked on your blog ever since. It has inspired me in so many ways, so thank you!

I tried to place an order on your website last night and, finally, after retyping my info a few times and trying and trying to complete the order… I gave up. It wasn’t a huge order, but I was still disappointed (I was ordering 5 of those cool chairs!).

My studio hint is to set up a spot just for small crafters. Otherwise, they sit right down at your work table and end up “helping” you with your projects when your back is turned. I have a table just for the kids and each of them has a drawer that they labeled with the label maker. Some have their names on their drawers neatly centered and some have random bits of text decidedly uncentered. Now, when they want to do art, they check their drawers for supplies and head to their table.

I’d rather have both – peanut butter AND jelly, but if that won’t work, then a nice spoonful of peanut butter, chunky please!

Organizing a studio has never been my forte. It just seems like the supplies can be organized in so many ways. Like would I sort the papers by color, or by kind, or both? Or not at all – which is what I’m having now. Or the photos? Or the ribbons, by their length, by the color, or maybe by their width?
See, not helping…
I adore clean, organized spaces, and just love the look of your studio! I just wish reading through a studio magazine would give me the inspiration and furnish me with some cool tips to create an equally inspiring space!

Cheating, ha! Girl, for all you take on, instead you have say that you “streamlined your operation” and “found an opportunity to upcycle” a previous “favorite blog posting”.

Its all in how you sell it to yourself. :)

Lets see, suck up time. Well, you know I swooned and waxed poetic in the comments section of your photos a while back…can I cheat and send you back there? Hahahah!
Seriously, your studio is one of the most inviting, beautiful and personalized spaces I have ever seen. My fave item in it is your charm chain, and I plan to steal this idea.

I would share an organization tip, but I am a disaster when it comes to that. Best I can offer is a mini list of what I use for storage other than traditional plastic tubs:
Vintage lunchboxes full of CDS and laminate samples, tote bags on hooks in the closet stuffed with fabric scraps and skeins of fun fur and other fibers, an over-the-door shoe holder, with long pockets that run horizontally, holding rolls of paper, and finished jewelry pinned to the curtains…

And as to PB and jelly -yes to both together,
yes to jelly and butter on hot biscuits,
yes to PB and choco, PB and honey,
PB scooped out with a spoon and eaten guiltily before some sees and makes a comment about emotional eating.

Oh, and the tree? I don’t think there would be room to carve anything…not yet at least. I am still growing…still a mere sapling in the wise, immense forest of the world.

Chrysti, Your studio is awesome! Such an inspiration to all of us! I never seem to have a space big enough for a comfy chair!

“If you were a tree, what would be carved into your trunk?”
I would carve, “Keep it Green”!

“Your favorite studio organizing tip.”
Label EVERYTHING!!! Since I have a child that likes to be in my Art stuff, it is great to have it labeled so that she can find it AND put it back where it belongs!

“Peanut Butter or Jelly?” Why can’t I have both????? If it is on bread, gotta have both. But if it is on a spoon or celery, of course just the PB.

I would have Love One Another carved into my trunk. I don’t have a studio and am a dis organized mess so i don’t have any tips. As far as PB and J I would have both together in a nice toasted sandwich please but if I had to choose one I’d pick a spoon of smooth peanut butter over jelly any day.

Hi Chrysti! I meant to enter your giveaway the other day, but didn’t get a chance to. So, here goes:

If I were I tree, I’d like to think I was one of those big, huge shady ones in the middle of a grassy spot. People would have picnics under my branches, and couples would find a comfortable spot to sit together. Kids would climb the branches and quiet little girls would find a nice thick branch to sit in and spend the afternoon reading or daydreaming. Lovers would carve their initials into my truck as lasting testimony to their love. Families who enjoyed a picnic would carve the date into my trunk as a reminder of good times spent with those they loved. Perhaps, someone would even tuck a letterbox (http://www.letterboxing.org) as an invitation for others to come find a tree like me.

As for my studio – it’s disorganized! I have just enough room for a table and a cabinet. The cabinet has a few organizational things I picked up from Ikea. Also, if I have small project that I need to take on the go, I use a small fishing tackle box I picked up from the sporting goods store.

By the way, I just received my order from AlteredAbbey. Thank you so much! Everything is wonderful!

if i were a tree i would have carved” I love DAVE and my Boys” ok for the studio organizational tip I would say I hang all my ribbon long ways, (vertical)and I put a ponytail holder on one in so i can hang it up on a hook, I think your studio is very very nice !!! I want one just like yours !!! ;)

1) favorite tree: lilac; which should never be carved on. best studio tip for lack of a flat file – Home Depot has some extra deep plastic stackable shelves – 24″ deep. Toss them together and they are as deep as a flat file. hang a curtain over them using paper clamp (thingies) and it is hidden; appears like a closet.
2)ummm I need to see the issue; then the schmoozing will begin.. but I love studio photos. I have a degree in interior design so space planning is something of great interest and I would love (love) to see this issue.
3)will spread the word in a minute; returning with the url.

My tree trunk would have to proclaim “Yeshua is your salvation”..I am jealous of all the gorgeous studios, therefore I cannot purchase such a devine mag and make me feel so jealous. I guess my best organizer idea is wherever it lands must be what is is suppose to be married to…yikes!! Luv your kewl screen snow effects. Great blogger…xoxoxo

I would have carved on me if I were a tree
the moon and the stars for all to see

That’s the extent of my poetry I’m afraid. My organisational studio tip apart from label everything is sort by colour and major themes. If I want brown buttons I reach for the brown draw and there they are.

if I were a tree, you would find “inspire & be inspired” carved into my trunk! it is one of my favorite life mottos and i strive to live it and give it every day! organizational tip? procrastinate until you find what works…dont find anything that works? keep procrastinating. ha!!! And peanut butter!!! especially in the form of reese’s PB cups!! mmmm!! and reese’s pieces..mmm!! and thanks for your kindness and creative inspirations!!

Carved on my tree truck would be “Peace, Love, Joy” ….been saying some variation of that since 1969, so I’m stuck in a rut. I;d have to go with jelly, the pb would get stuck to the roof of my mouth, even if it is high in protein…i luv the sugar rush of jelly.

I love your studio, you are an inspiration! a little expertly directed ocd would be a good thing. I just obsess on whether or not the door is locked or the iron is plugged in ( thanks Dad) I can hear him now, “Pat if you leave the iron plugged in the house willl burn to the ground while we are gone!” ( Pat=mom )

organization tip, try to keep things out of the grubby paws and teeth of the dawgs, i hate teeth marks on my cardstock scraps. love dogs!

I am a tree and ganesha abides with me. Where ever the leaves or nuts or trash land is my organization. I mix peanut butter and jam/jelly together so the jam/jelly doesn’t splot and add cream cheese or banana.

Don’t put me in for the Studio issue, I already have it. I just wanted to take part in the comments.

If I were a tree, I would want carved on me: “Let the beauty you love be the thing you do.” Something I saw recently and liked.

I don’t have an organizational tip yet. I just try to clean up once in a while.

Jelly, but only grape or plum. I learned to make plum jam last summer and loved it. Grape jelly with butter on hot biscuits- yummy. Peanut butter- only with grape jelly or with chocolate. Better yet, skip the jelly and peanut butter and just give me chocolate!

Day Two of life in the proverbial Palace…I don’t know where I picked up this black cloud, so I am spending as little time as possible on your blog today. I don’t want to transfer this I’m-living-under-a-black-cloud mess to you! I’m afraid the graffiti artists would cover up anything carved in my trunk…so I’ll pass on that one. But doesn’t it count that I have graffiti sprayed all over my trunk? From all sorts of different people…I may stick out in the forrest, but my trunk is decorated nonetheless. ;)

And just to be difficult, may I please have grilled ham and cheese – instead of peanut butter or jelly? I’ve been craving a big ol’ mound of ham and cheese on nicely grilled bread for weeks. Sure, I could make one – but that wouldn’t necessarily cure my craving. (It’s just different when you make it yourself.)

You already know how much I love your studio…I think it’s so comforting and beautiful. I love it!

If I were a tree you would find carved into my trunk a message from the birds that live in me. It would read like this: “If I promise not to poop on your house, will you promise not to carve mine up.”
My favorite studio organizing tip is to have a child that likes to organize things for amusement.

I have to admit that I am hopelessly black-and-white, practical, and uncreative. :( (My creativity is more the outside-the-box-solutions-to-problems brand than the making-something-new brand.) So, if I were a tree and had something carved into my trunk, it would probably be a label, with the common and scientific names of my tree. ‘Cause isn’t that boring? lol

If I were a tree, I would have a sacred heart carved into my trunck as well as mine and my boyfriends initials.

Lately I have been using recycled cans of various sizes – soup cans, coffee cans, taking off the labels and washing them, tying a ribbon around them and using them for storage in my workspace, the smaller ones for pens etc. Also, I just put up two small shelves above my desk to put them on – it really makes a difference clearing off myt entire workspace, yet still having everything just within reach.

I rec’d an email telling me to post this here, this is where i did post it.

something weird is going on, as i also posted my mailing info early on, when you asked us to leave our info so you could contact us, yet you told me in an email that it didn’t show up…so i am posting and posting, but alas…where are the posts going?

ok, here it is:

“If you were a tree, what would be carved into your trunk?” “Susan has one of those lives, nevermind one of those weeks…but I am sure it is building her character :)”

Peanut Butter or Jelly? Peanut butter…love it with bananas. :)

Feel free to do a lil more schmoozing by lying through your teeth and saying by far my studio is the best in the issue, much less the world.

I love and adore your studio, if I could come steal it and put it into my own home I would, it is perfect!

With a giveaway that goes on for 29 days, doing posts, reading comments and sending out stuff how do you manage to get anything else done? I think this is a tremendous thing you’re doing and I love reading your posts and what people write in about organizing for example! My best tip of organizing is yet to come as I’m not organized at all! If I were a tree though I think I would have a crossed over heart here and there for love found and lost! ;-)

If I was a tree, I would have two lovers’ names carved into my trunk. I would love to immortalize their love, even after they’ve passed on into the next life. I would want other couples to come and trace the letters with their fingers, and think about the love that THEY share. I would be a very romantic tree!

If I were a tree with a carving it would be: “Climb up me, use me for shade, kiss your lover under me, pick apples from my branches…but don’t cut me down! Like The Giving Tree – use me but don’t lose me!

If I was a tree, I’d have the word create carved into me. I would say your studio is the best in the issue, but I have to admit that I’ve never seen the issue, so I really don’t know. But if I win it, then I’ll know, huh? LOL!!

If I was a tree the trunk would be carved into “me” and all the branches would be my hair, since that’s what it looks like when I wake up!! I’ve actually been mistaken for a “white” Buckwheat some mornings!!

As for a studio…mine is a catastrophe waiting for a makeover. Basically, it is just a storeroom for my supplies at the moment, since I can’t even get into it. Maybe having this magazine will inspire me to organize!!

If I were a tree I would have a Sailor Jerry heart tattoo carved into my trunk.

My ‘studio,’ if you can call it that is not very organized- my only tip is to buy lots of plastic boxes for organizing when they are on sale/clearance, because you can always find things to put in them.

I’m completley confused…and not sure if we are supposed again, here, as well as the old, original post….
so here it goes…

Last time I said: I enjoy my art space because it’s in the basement, away from LOUD TV’s and kids saying …. “Mom – Mom – Mom”….. It’s spacious and I also have a stereo and a T.V. (so I can watch CHICK FLICKS…instead of football!)
Even if my son makes his way down with me, his x-box is hooked up to the T.V., and he can play – while i listen to the radio and CREATE!
I wish I had some better “paper storage”. Like those box cubes to hang on the wall with space for each pile of organized paper!

and/or tell us your favorite studio organizing tip. If all else fails answer this:
Feel free to do a lil more schmoozing by lying through your teeth and saying by far my studio is the best in the issue, much less the world.

So this time I will say: “If you were a tree, what would be carved into your trunk?” The names of my children, as they are what root me.

Peanut Butter or Jelly? Seriously…. They come seperately?

And lastly….. Chrysti…. YOUR studio is the most perfect, beautiful and functional studio in the magazine! In fact, the entire magazine should have been dedicated to YOUR STUDIO, and yours alone. If we were to look up Art studio GURU in the dictionary, I’m quite sure that your picture would appear.

I absolutely love putting my little treasures and supplies in odd containers. Since I’m a little creatively challenged in the organization category, I usually borrow ideas I see from others–a teacup full of buttons, a glass jar full of ribbon remnants, colorful latte bowls from Anthropologie (only $4!) filled with felt shapes, beautiful beads, doll parts, you name it! (Ok, I didn’t borrow the last idea but I’m sure I saw something like it somewhere else!)

I love to see everything I have otherwise I forget about it so I’ve collected really big vases and mismatched crystal or china lids and use them on my shelves to house all my feathers, buttons, trims, rhinestones etc. it looks pretty and is very easy to see all that I have. Now I need a genius & space saving way to store all my vintage linens and fabrics so that I can see what I have. Right now everything is in big garbage bags, not working so good.

I would love to be able to be part of this. I have never done one of these types of projects before, but I love the idea, and I want to continue the spirit of giving, and I would so love to win this give away!